“And God spake all these words, saying, 2 I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” Exodus 20:1-3

God is a jealous God and expects to be first priority, we all have been guilty of putting something before Him. But there is a point where people have other “gods” before Him. Football is an example of modern idolatry, no it is not a sin to watch a game, do not get it twisted, but many people are putting football before God. Can you imagine how God feels about the amount of people that get up on a Sunday morning and head downtown to tailgate, get drunk, and watch a bunch of overpaid crybabies in tights chase around a pigskin full of air?

“(For the Lord thy God is a jealous God among you) lest the anger of the Lord thy God be kindled against thee, and destroy thee from off the face of the earth.” Deuteronomy 6:15

Football fans seem to be the busiest people. They never have time to be invited for a Bible study or Sunday service but always have time to watch grown men on TV endlessly analyze a single football play or stat for hours. They do not have time to sacrifice for God or make it to church in a blizzard but can sit in the snow, rain and sleet in subzero temperatures and sacrifice to watch their gods tackle each other and try to score touchdowns. Also yelling and shouting at the game on TV but never singing praises to God. And if that is not enough, many also find time and money to be in “fantasy football leagues”. The superbowl is the biggest day for a football idolater when they find out who wins football’s golden calf, the Vince Lombardi Trophy.

“And they left all the commandments of the Lord their God, and made them molten images, even two calves, and made a grove, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served Baal.” 2 Kings 17:16

Baal was a false god of the heathen nations whom the Israelites committed idolatr by worshiping instead of the real God. Adherents of the religion of Football or “FootBaal” watch as much football as possible, they can never get enough. Their “services” are all day on Sunday, Monday Night, Thursday night, Thanksgiving, and analytical shows and fantasy football on the off nights. Then college football of course on Saturday. Even though they do not realize it, this is worship of their pigskin false god, FootBaal. All the money and time spent on this idolatry and the neglecting of God and His Word will hurt the footballdolators eventually, because when trouble comes the NFL will not be able to help or save them.

“Then shall the cities of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem go, and cry unto the gods unto whom they offer incense: but they shall not save them at all in the time of their trouble.” Jeremiah 11:12

NFL and college football games also have women dressed like whores called “cheerleaders”. They are the temple prostitutes of this false religion causing men to lust. The most devout worshipers of FootBaal will even wear body paint and costumes to represent and cheer on the team that they enjoy worshiping most. And of course no football worship service (aka game) is complete without large amounts of alcohol consumption and drunkenness, basically drink offerings to the FootBaal false god.

“And the Chaldeans, that fight against this city, shall come and set fire on this city, and burn it with the houses, upon whose roofs they have offered incense unto Baal, and poured out drink offerings unto other gods, to provoke me to anger.” Jeremiah 32:29

Football is just one of many things that the devil will use to distract people to Hell. Watching a game or playing a game of football is not a sin, it is a sin when it is made a god like it is to a large amount of Americans. Do you choose watching a football game over going to church? If football season is taking priority over God in your life then the good news is you have a chance to repent today. If you can not watch football responsibly then it needs to be avoided completely.

“All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.” 1 Corinthians 6:12